


Jumping Into Tanks is Illegal

by FindingSchmomo



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-08 22:08:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FindingSchmomo/pseuds/FindingSchmomo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Haruka has always wanted to be a mermaid and when he finds his chance he takes it, with his friends' help of course. Hints at Makoto/Haruka and Nagisa/Rei. One shot</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jumping Into Tanks is Illegal

**Author's Note:**

> fun little happy oneshot I wrote back in july

Haruka had always had a fascination with mermaids, even at a young age. Makoto easily pinpoints the beginings of it from a sleepover of theirs when they decided to watch the Little Mermaid. Makoto’s parents’ had shown it to him before, and since it focused so much on water he felt his best friend would enjoy it too.

To his surprise, Haruka absolutely hated the movie. 

“It’s stupid.” Makoto remembers Haruka stating after being asked about it as the credits rolled, “She could stay underwater forever. Why would she ever leave.”

And yet, Haruka’s fascination with the mermaid mythos only seemed to grow and expand from there. It was a favorite of his to imagine when playing freely in the water and not practicing at the club; especially when he swam amongst the waves of the ocean.

It was no surprise to Makoto when his best friend filled out a handout in 5th grade which asked ‘What job would you like when you grow up?’ with ‘A Mermaid’. He remembered smiling at the scribbled answer he saw when he glanced over at the dark haired boy’s desk.

Their teacher was not so easily amused, and scolded the boy after class. Makoto had been instructed to leave with the rest of his class but stubbornly remained by the door, trying to listen to the secret conversation.

The brunet boy’s face deepened into an uncharacteristic frown as he heard the teacher’s biting words. Snapping along the lines of, “mermaids aren’t real”, “that’s not a career” and “take your school work more seriously.” 

Makoto ducked behind the corner when the door opened and Haruka drug his feet out, staring at the ground. The brunet had never seen his stoic friend so sad. They walked home together in silence, and never spoke of it again.

Mermaids dropped out of their conversations, but Makoto could easily tell his friend’s fascination remained just a strong, if not slightly less idealistic and hopeful.

It wasn’t until one fresh evening after swim club during their last year of high school did the issue of humanoid aquatic life resurface. The swim club, being Nagisa, Rei, Makoto and Haruka, had just finished up their monthly dinner that Nagisa had enacted in order to keep in close contact during the off season. As usual, Haruka remained outside the conversation preferring to think of the ocean then the topic on hand. 

However, during this one, seemingly normal day, as they walk to the train station, Haruka spots a flyer near the city aquarium. It looks fresh and new, just having been stapled into place with all four corners still intact. The large letters make him stop. “MERMAID NEEDED” it reads. Those two words are all it takes for him to come to a dead stop. 

As he had been in the rear of the group anyway it took a second for the rest of the boys to realize this. Makoto was first, seeming to feel the change in emotion coming off his best friend and quickly glances back to see him transfixed on the wall.

“Haru?” He calls, starting to walk back. His worried tone alerts the other pair who follow suit, curious. 

Haruka doesn’t respond to the call and instead rips the poster off the wall to hold it tangibly in his hands. He reads it over and over and over again. The uncharacteristic twitch of his lip hints at a smile. Makoto is immediately extremely interested in whatever it is the other is looking at.

“Well? What does it say?” Nagisa asks first, impatiently trying to peer around Haruka’s arms in order to see the obscured flyer.

“I’m going to be a mermaid.” Haruka finally announces, vaguely. He hands the paper to Makoto for safe keeping before strutting into the aquarium and leaving the group behind to grapple with the sentence hanging in the air. 

“Wait, what.” Rei asks, confused over his sempai’s sudden declaration. Makoto ignores him in order to read the flyer himself. “Have a love for the water and entertaining children? Iwatobi Aquarium is looking for one more mermaid for their new mermaid café exhibit! Must be a strong swimmer! Simply come in and ask the management for more information.”

“He’s going to be a mermaid.” Makoto repeats in disbelief, before a large happy smile fills up half his face and he starts to laugh. He is in utter disbelief; happy, excited, disbelief.

* * *

“Of course you can’t be a mermaid.”  

Haruka looks devastated and confused by the words coming from the manager’s mouth. Makoto and the rest of the swim club had entered the building just in time to hear the statement. 

“Why?” Haruka insists, having already unbuttoned most of his shirt in excitement of proving his swimming capabilities.

“We’re looking for merMAIDS not merMEN.” The man explains easily with a shrug, “I thought it was obvious in the flyer. I’ll make the next batch clearer. Sorry about the confusion.” He continues with a wave of his hand, about to turn away.

“Let me show you.” Haruka continues, a weird desperation coming over him. He knows if he can just get in that tank he can convince him otherwise. His blue eyes gleam with determination. His entire body ready to spring into action at any moment.

Makoto steps forward, “Surely you can give him a chance!” He tries, catching the man’s interest, as he had not seen the trio enter.  “You already have two mermaids,” at least, if he recalled correctly, “wouldn’t it add some variety?” He reasons. 

“Guests don’t want to see mermen.”

“He could wear a wig, and a swim suit top!” Nagisa offers with a clap of his hands, “Haru-chan already has a pretty face.”

“Nagisa…” Makoto mumbles at the weird suggestion, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.  A red tint glows from his cheeks at the thought. To his surprise, though, Haruka doesn’t discount the suggestion, continuing to look intently at the man keeping him from his dreams. 

“The answer is still no.”

The trio realizes the answer is not going to change, and resign to dragging Haruka out of the building, with the latter struggling wholeheartedly. They manage to get him across the street and a block away, leaning him against a building’s wall. 

Makoto painfully observes that although his best friend’s expression remains stern he can see the same devastation in those blue eyes as all those years ago.

“I’m sure you would have swam more beautifully than any other mermaid.” Rei offers his condolences, nodding his head and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Nagisa nods emphatically, “I bet they’d sell out instantly! Could you imagine Haru-chan swimming in pretty necklaces and a shimmering tail! Ooh, what if they let him swim with the dolphins! Imagine the sight of that.” The blond babbled with a flourish of arms.

Makoto was torn between consoling his friend and encouraging him. He sighed, turning to the dark hair teen in order to offer his own kind words.

Unfortunately, Haruka was no longer there. 

A quick glance reveals the boy already turning the corner and crossing the street, expertly stripping off his clothes without slowing down in the slightest. 

“HARU NO!” Makoto shouts after vainly, immediately running after him. The pair quickly follows, with Rei kindly taking the time to grab at the discarded garments littering the cement walkways and roads.

Haruka is entering the aquarium—only wearing his swimsuit by now—when Makoto reaches the building. He bursts through the door already finding a commotion of confused patrons being pushed away as Haruka sprints through the hallways. The brunet sees from the corner of his eye, the management man speaking quickly into his phone, most likely calling security.

He ignores him in favor of chasing down his friend. He finally reaches the other as he ducks down a darkened hall cordoned off for employees only. Haruka is struggling to open a clearly locked door for staff.

“Haru stop this! What do you think you’re doing? You’re going to get banned from every aquarium in the country if you keep this up!” He hisses, attempting to pull the teen away from his clawing at the door.

“Mako, I need to do this!” Haruka snaps uncharacteristically, wrenching free and looking to his best friend for the support he desperately needs. Makoto is torn once more, but, as he hears the sound of rushing footsteps and the growing fear in those beautiful blue eyes, he sighs.

“Fine.” 

Nagisa pushes through at the sound of the decision, pulling out a lock pick from his pocket to the pair’s surprise, “Well, you gotta do what you gotta do for your dreams!” He exclaims, easily unlocking the door and nudging the pair through. He offers no explanation for his apparent illegal talents, only winks and adds, “Rei and I will keep the guards busy for you!”

“We will?” Rei questions, holding a bundle of clothing and looking out of sorts completely. Nagisa laughs, before facing the oncoming barrage guards with a confident determination and powerful looking stance, despite his short stature. 

Haruka wastes no time to start climbing up the stairs the door revealed, with Makoto at his heels. 

Nagisa’s distant, empowering cry, rings through the dark stairwell, “Swim for us, Haru-chan! Swim for Iwatobi Swim Club! Swim for you!” It makes Haruka take the steps two at a time.

They reach the top of the stairwell to reveal the tops of the tanks and a couple of employees looking surprised at their appearance. 

Many move to block them, shouting at them to stop, but Haruka is faster and more determined. He easily spots the two mermaids, already hired and taking a rest before their next little show. His pace quickens further, eyes focused, 

Makoto makes a point to keep in line with him, and try to keep the other employees away. Just as one of the staff had had enough, appearing to lunge for the crazy teens, Haruka dives.

Makoto stops, in awe, as he always does, when Haruka dives into any pool of water. Haruka’s previous stern, desperate and frustrated expression washes away as he enters the water, leaving behind the calm soothing visage that is a staple to his swimming technique. 

Unfortunately, no one else pauses to watch, instead grabbing at Makoto who is quickly restrained. He doesn’t resist. It’s all up to Haru now.

Similarly, both Rei and Nagisa have also been captured. They were sat down on a bench, with two security guards watching them as the three men stormed up the stairs to stop the other two boys. 

They were receiving a stern lecture from one of the guards when Rei’s eyes catch a glimpse of the sudden burst of bubbles in one of the tanks to the left of him. He nudges Nagisa with his arm.  “He made it.” 

Haruka swims in the tank, eyes closed, smile soft and peaceful. He circles the tank once, twice, and then pauses to open his brilliant blue eyes and look out from the tank. 

He has attracted a crowd. 

Although the hallway was closed off to the public due to the commotion, many patrons curiously tried to push past the guard posted in order to see the odd site. Rumors of a man falling into a tank spread quickly, and the crowd became more persistent before finally breaking through to watch the chaotic scene unfold.

Haruka looked over at them, swimming easily closer to the glass and laying a hand upon its surface. His eyes silence the crowd, shocked at the spectacle before them. They had expected fear, panicked drowning. They received a calm, soothing, wondrous sight.

“I told you they’d find him beautiful.” Nagisa mentions aloud to no one in particular, a proud smile on his face.

Above, hidden away, the employees and guards circle the tank and hiss at each other.

“He has to come up for breath eventually.”  

“Exactly, we can just wait and grab him.”

Makoto is stuck away from the group, biting his lip nervously as he awaits Haruka’s fate, blind to all happenings. He is counting in his head, doing his best not to speed up the mental time due to his anxiousness. He knows how long Haruka can hold his breath, and he knows time is running out.

One of the mermaids gets annoyed at the commotion, “I’ll just go bring him up.” She decides for herself, ignoring the clamor of ‘no’s from the crowd. She easily slips back into the tank, holding her oxygen tube in her hand delicately, and swims to meet her contender. 

From below the crowd gasps at the entrance of an actual mermaid, looking angry and annoyed at the boy’s invasion of her territory. Their reaction makes Haruka turn to face the girl in surprise and stare.

The girl gets ready to grab him and drag him up in order to end this charade. However, as she catches sight of the huge crowd—the largest crowd she’d seen for one of her shows—watching with baited breath she decides otherwise. She humors the intruder, circling him almost predatorily. 

The crowd is grinning, beginning to feel as if this was all some sort of staged show. Even the guards are in on the act to heighten the drama. The story of a shipwrecked man falling into the siren’s grasps dance through their minds. The manager has arrived on site, shocked by the size of the crowd and glues his own eyes to the scene in the tank.

The mermaid reaches and strokes Haruka’s face. He instinctively pulls back, and, needing a breath, begins to swim up. The mermaid drags him back down forcefully, to the teen’s surprise. A tense silence is shared between the people populating the on looking crowd.

Nagisa and Rei visibly freeze, watching more critically, their smiles fading at the slight look of alarm apparent in their usually monotone face friend’s eyes. 

From above the panic is more apparent, “She’ll drown him!” One shouts, leaning over the edge, their eyes wide and stuck on the scene. Their mouth agape with horror.

Makoto stands up immediately at the three terrifying words, trying to pull away from the guard attempting to restrain him. He wrenches free and rushes over, his hands gripping tightly to the tank’s edge in order to catch a glimpse of his friend. “Haru!”

The moment passes as the siren circles once more and offers Haruka her oxygen tube. He takes it and breathes in the oxygen he had desperately needed. She continues her scrutinizing gaze and he begins to nod slowly, as if accepting a silent agreement between the two. Soon the two seem to be swimming together in tune, in a rhythmic underwater dance.

A unanimous breath is released from all involved. A few more minutes pass of the pair’s show before they finally surface and are helped out by the staff. Haruka, drenched and smiling, is immediately handed off to the guards and sat down beside his friend. Makoto is extremely relieved to see him fine, and doesn’t mind giving him a quick hug and punishing light slap for all the trouble of the day. 

The pair are pushed down the steps and join up with their two other companions. Both of whom give their praise to their teammate before being silenced by one of the furious adults. They are herded to the back office of the manager, who looks angry, tired, and conflicted.

“Do you have any idea of the danger that little stunt could have caused. “ He begins what will most likely be a long angry tirade. The group looks down at the ground sheepishly. All of them, that is, except for Haruka, who continues to meet his gaze, refreshed and confident from his swim, still dripping precious water.

Mid scolding, however, the door is pushed opened and a similarly dripping young woman, wearing a towel robe and swim suit, slips in.

“Boss, I’m here to inform you that our guests are sending their appreciation for the unique show we put on today. They said that they were almost fooled by the seeming realistic confusion and it really added to the play.”

“What play?” 

“The mermaid show of the day. Of the drowning swimmer being saved by a beautiful mermaid.” She answered easily, winking at Haruka, “They’re really digging it. Keep saying how other mermaid shows are just advertising pretty ladies, but this one actually has a plot to it. I heard one women ravin’ over the poetry of the movement replacing dialogue or something.”

“What is your point.”

“You don’t hire him and we’ll have a riot.”

By this point the manager is red faced, gritting his teeth and glaring at the woman, and then at Haruka. He spins his chair around, waving his arm and shouting a ‘fine’. He then quickly turns to face the group, adding, “It’s a tentative hire! We’ll see how you do with this drowning man show.”

Haruka nods slowly at the compromise, “Then after I’ll be a mermaid?” 

“Then after you can be a merwhatever.” The manager snaps, rolling his eyes and motioning for them to leave. 

The swim club quickly extends their congratulations and Haruka smiles softly at them all, relief and happiness exuding his slim, cold, wet body. 

Makoto places a hand on his shoulder and tugs him closer, to get him warmer, to give his support, and just to get him closer, “You did it.” 

“I’m going to be a mermaid.”

* * *

It has been months since then, and the manager has begrudgingly hired Haruka full time. The summer months are busy, and Haruka is able to spend them almost entirely submerged. The shows range from the drowning sailor to magical transformations into a merman himself. Each show is slightly different, with room to improvise between the three actors and have shown to be quite a success among patrons.

Makoto makes a point to visit at least one show a day, preferably before lunch in order to spend the meal with his best friend. It is one of those days, with Makoto gazing at Haru’s underwater dance. The dark haired teen is wearing a full-blown blue brilliant tail that seems to meld so perfectly on him. He wears an array of jewelry on his naked torso and arms. His eyes are as blue as always, and they sweep across the crowd before landing and resting on Makoto’s own green.

It warms him to get such special treatment. 

Makoto waits by the darkened hallway he’d broken through all those months ago for his best friend, once the show has ended. Haruka reveals himself, still damp with a towel around his shoulders, but wearing normal clothes. Without a word they head for lunch at a nearby sushi spot.

“I understand the movie now.” Haruka idly mentions, taking a bite of his raw fish. 

Makoto looks at him questioningly, “Hmm?”

“She left in order to see him.” He replies vaguely, pausing in his meal, “It doesn’t seem so stupid anymore.”

Makoto doesn’t know how to take the odd statement, but a warm fuzzy feeling spreads across his being that he simply cannot explain.

And although he knows it is Haruka’s dream that was finally achieved, he couldn’t help feel that his own took a giant step forward, as well.


End file.
